Furnaces for heat treating articles



April 30, 1963 u -r 3,087,714

FURNACES FOR HEAT TREATING ARTICLES Filed May 5, 1958 INVENTOR. ANDRE HU ET ATTORNEY United States Patent C) 3,087,714 FURNACES FOR HEAT TREATING ARTICLES Andre Huet, 48 Ave. du President Wilson, Paris XVI, France Filed May 5, 1958, Ser. No. 733,036 Claims priority, application France June 6, 1957 4 Claims. (Cl. 263-2) This invention relates to a furnace for heating or thermally treating metal parts and it is an object of the invention to provide a furnace which is relatively easy and economical to construct and operate.

According to the present invention a furnace for heat treating articles comprises two parts each having the form of a truncated cone, pyramid or the like, the parts being symmetrically disposed with their bases disposed in face to face relation, one of the parts being mounted for movement towards and away from the other and an article or articles to be heat-treated being adapted to be positioned in a gap formed between the bases of the parts, a burner being located in each part and the gases of combustion from said furnaces being adapted to escape through said gap.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a furnace according to one embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 2 is an end view of the movable part of the furnace.

As shown in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings the furnace comprises two symmetrically arranged parts a, b the part a of which is fixed while the other part b is mounted so as to be movable toward and away from the part a. Each part has the shape of a hollow truncated cone, pyramid or the like, the bases being open and in face to face relation, the plane of symmetry of the parts passing through them. Burners c are located at the inner or apex end of each truncated cone part a and b.

The part b is provided with two rollers d running on rails e, a third point of support for the part b comprising a pinion f meshing with a fixed rack h, the pinion being connected with a hand wheel g. By actuating the hand wheel g the part b is movable along the rails e towards or away from the part a, the parts a, b remaining symmetrical, in all positions, with respect to the plane of symmetry of the assembly.

In use, the parts are moved away from each other and a metal article to be treated is placed in the gap between the bases of the two parts. The part b is then brought closer to the part a, leaving a sufiicient gap for gas from the burners 0 c to escape. The burners c 0 provide the necessary heat for heat treating the article.

As shown each part a and b comprises a casing i made, for example, of sheet steel, which is completely lined with refractory material j.

The furnace can be economically constructed and the operation is simple and reliable and the positioning and removal of the article or articles to be treated can be effected rapidly and easily and entails few operational steps.

It will be understood that the constructional details of the furnace may be modified without departing from the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A furnace for the heat-treatment of metal articles, comprising two furnace units, each having the form of a hollow truncated cone having a large base and a small base, said units being disposed with their large bases in face to face relationship and being symmetrically disposed on both sides of a plane parallel to said large bases and passing between them, at least one of said units being mounted on means adapted to permit said last-named unit to move towards and away from the other unit to leave a gap of varying width between said units providing free radial access and adapted to receive the articles to be heat-treated, a burner disposed in each unit at the inner end of said unit remote from its large base and nearer its small base and positioned to direct the gases of combustion toward said gap.

2. A furnace for the heat-treatment of metal articles, comprising two furnace units, each having the form of a hollow truncated cone having a large base and a small base, said units being disposed with their large bases in face to face relationship and being symmetrically disposed on both sides of a plane parallel to said large bases and passing between them, at least one of said units being mounted on rollers adapted to run on rails to permit said last-named unit to move towards and away from the other unit to leave a gap of varying width between said units providing free radial access and adapted to receive the articles to be heat-treated, a burner disposed in each unit at the inner end of said unit remote from its large base and nearer its small base and positioned to direct the gases of combustion toward said gap.

3. A furnace for the heat-treatment of metal articles, comprising two furnace units, each having the form of a hollow truncated cone having a large base and a small base, said units being disposed with their large bases in face to face relationship and being symmetrically disposed on both sides of a plane parallel to said large bases and passing between them, at least one of said units being mounted on rollers adapted to run on rails, and having a pinion connected with a hand wheel, said pinion being adapted to mesh with a fixed rack to permit said lastnamed unit to move towards and away from the other unit to leave a gap of varying width between said units providing free radial access and adapted to receive the articles to be heat-treated, a burner disposed in each unit at the inner end of said unit remote from its large base and nearer its small base and positioned to direct the gases of combustion toward said gap.

4. A furnace for the heat-treatment of metal articles, comprising two furnace units, each comprising a steel casing lined with refractory material and having the form of a hollow truncated cone having a large base and a small base, said units being disposed with their large bases in face to face relationship and being symmetrically disposed on both sides of a plane parallel to said large bases and passing between them, at least one of said units being mounted on means adapted to permit said last-named unit to move towards and away from the other unit to leave a gap of varying width between said units providing free radial access and adapted to receive the articles to be heat-treated, a burner disposed in each unit at the inner end of said unit remote from its large base and nearer its small base and positioned to direct the gases of combustion toward said gap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS// Spearman June 10, 1884 

1. A FURNACE FOR THE HEAT-TREATMENT OF METAL ARTICLES, COMPRISING TWO FURNACE UNITS, EACH HAVING THE FORM OF A HOLLOW TRUNCATED CONE HAVING A LARGE BASE AND A SMALL BASE, SAID UNITS BEING DISPOSED WITH THEIR LARGE BASES IN FACE TO FACE RELATIONSHIP AND BEING SYMMETRICALLY DISPOSED ON BOTH SIDES OF A PLANE PARALLEL TO SAID LARGE BASES AND PASSING BETWEEN THEM, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID UNITS BEING MOUNTED ON MEANS ADAPTED TO PERMIT SAID LAST-NAMED UNIT TO MOVE TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM THE OTHER UNIT TO LEAVE A GAP OF VARYING WIDTH BETWEEN SAID UNITS PROVIDING FREE RADIAL ACCESS AND ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE ARTICLES TO BE HEAT-TREATED, A BURNER DISPOSED IN EACH UNIT AT THE INNER END OF SAID UNIT REMOTE FROM ITS LARGE BASE AND NEARER ITS SMALL BASE AND POSITIONED TO DIRECT THE GASES OF COMBUSTION TOWARD SAID GAP. 